Super TestCar reviews - Holden - Barina - 5-dr hatch rangeHolden modelsOverviewHolden finally swaps its Daewoo-based Barina for a more polished global light-car20 Sep 2011 AFTER six gruelling years, Holden has finally put the 2002-era Daewoo Kalos-based TK Barina out of its misery, replacing it with a bold and attractive five-door only hatch that strives to right its predecessors’ many wrongs. And in many areas the new TM series succeeds, thanks to a strong and spacious body, heaps of standard safety and convenient equipment, and a very appealing overall presentation inside and out. There’s still some work that needs to be done, but at last we can finally once again recommend a Barina. Model release date: 1 November 2011 to 1 October 2012 All car reviewsAlfa Romeo Abarth Alpine Alpina Audi Aston Martin BMW Bentley Chevrolet Chery Citroen Chrysler Dodge Cupra Ferrari DS Ford Fiat FPV Foton GWM Great Wall Holden Haval HSV Honda Hyundai Hummer Isuzu Infiniti Jeep Jaguar Lamborghini Kia LDV Land Rover Lotus Lexus Maserati Mahindra McLaren Mazda Mercedes-Benz Mercedes-AMG Mini MG Nissan Mitsubishi Peugeot Opel Proton Porsche Renault Ram Rover Rolls-Royce Skoda Saab SsangYong Smart Suzuki Subaru Toyota Tesla Volvo Volkswagen Previous modelBASICALLY a rebadged 2002 Daewoo T200 Kalos but with a 77kW/145Nm 1.6-litre twin-cam four-cylinder petrol engine that always felt too rough and noisy, the fifth-generation Barina was a backwards step compared to its award-winning Opel Corsa-based XC Barina from 2001. Two body styles were initially offered – a three-door and five-door hatch – while a slightly larger four-door sedan joined the range from 2006. Very low pricing and Holden’s impressive marketing machine sustained sales, but critics continued to ravage the TK. A neat facelift arrived from mid-2008, but the Barina was a bottom-of-the-barrel cheapie that did nothing for Holden’s reputation. The sooner we all forget about this Korean-built aberration the better, but run-out stocks the previous-gen Barina hatch will continue to be sold alongside the sedan, which won't be replaced until early 2012. To distinguish those outmoded vehicles from the all-new model, they will be known as the 'Barina Classic' hatch and sedan, while the smaller Barina Spark hatch continues unchanged. |
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